Mac fanatic raves about Vista on a Mac!

[editor]

As long as you use a properly designed operating system then (as they exist now) viruses and malware are a thing of the past. I know for a Windows user it might sound crazy but viruses/malware aren't a natural problem all computers face. (However much Hollywood wants us to believe)

And hopefully now we can add Vista to the list of "properly designed" operating systems...

So why did you just make such a silly claim about PCs getting "viruses and malware every five minutes. (Or less)."?

 

[jæd]

So why did you just make such a silly claim about PCs getting "viruses and malware every five minutes. (Or less)."?

I was referring to Xp... Its the most used o/s at the moment... There have also been experiments to determine the speed in which an unpatched install of xp can be compromised.

 

[jæd]

Just like on a PC then. Hurrah!

Yep, but now Vista has DRM built into its core...

 

[Jonti]

This is exactly what has happened in our office. We have thousands of legacy odcuments that show odd formatting when you open them in OO, and lots of essential windows-only software. But our server, storage and email has been linux for 2 years now. I don't see any change to this setup in the next 10 years.

Yeah, firms equipped with non-standard, secret-source, legacy software on the desktop are pretty much stuck with it. Maybe some will migrate their desktops but it will be very difficult for them. They'll have to be careful and proceed systematically.

New competitors starting out with standard, open software are likely to find that advantageous, all other things being equal.

 

[editor]

I was referring to Xp... Its the most used o/s at the moment... There have also been experiments to determine the speed in which an unpatched install of xp can be compromised.

Apart from the inherent stupidity of connecting a completely unprotected, oudated and unpatched PC to the web, how many XP machines were infested with "viruses and malware" in under five minutes, then?

And what does that prove?

 

[Jonti]

I regularly connect unprotected Ubuntu PCs to the 'net. It's not a problem. Why do you think it's inherently stupid?

Surely what's inherently stupid is to connect an inherently insecure system to the 'net?

 

[jæd]

Apart from the inherent stupidity of connecting a completely unprotected and unpatched PC to the web, how many XP machines infested with "viruses and malware" in under five minutes, then?

And what does that prove?

Well... You try doing the same with an unpatched copy of Ubuntu or OS X from 2001 and see how they compare. And thinking about whether you would buy a house if you knew the foundations were weak.

I think we've had this discussion before... So perhaps quicker do a search for this as the points put across haven't changed much. (And I'm not interested in repeating myself)

 

[Jonti]

The idea that a consumer-oriented, "easy to use" operating system should not be connected to the web until it's been supplemented by additional software is a bit of a nonsense, really.

It's like selling new cars that aren't road-worthy.

 

[Crispy]

Just like on a PC then. Hurrah!

Yes, but it takes effort from the user to overcome the barriers in place. With Linux, it is impossible for the barriers to exist in the first place, as the code is not beholden to shareholders or other commercial interests.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

This bit ... ... linky??

erm what are you insane where am i going to find any link to prove that it stands to reason the largest group of developers with in linux is in the united states at present as it has been adopted and worked and reworked for asome time couplled with better quicker more accessabvle internet in the states this has sped along the acutal development of linux...

however in terms of totatallity of open source projects then the recent and rather wordly titled:

Study on the Economic impact of open source software on innovation and the competitiveness of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector in the EU.

stated that:

FLOSS applications are first, second or third-rung products in terms of market share in several markets, including web servers, server operating systems, desktop operating systems, web browsers, databases, e-mail and other ICT infrastructure systems. FLOSS market share for operating systems and desktops is higher in Europe than in the US, followed by Asia. These market shares have seen considerable growth in the past five
years.

*Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS)

so some might aregue that this would suggest that linux is more preverlent with in europe however a significant number of these o/s are server rather than desktop based...

e2a link for pdf of study

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/ict/policy/doc/2006-11-20-flossimpact.pdf

which also concludes that the EU should activley move away from propeirtory systems if any one wants to read... so there is great expecation that linux useage will actually increase and become the domenant force... unless m$ or apple create summit really wowo worthy....

 

[jæd]

It's like selling new cars that aren't road-worthy.

And need special paint to stop them rusting. But applying the paint makes them slower by 10%...

 

[jæd]

erm what are you insane where am i going to find any link to prove that it stands to reason the largest group of developers with in linux is in the united states at present as it has been adopted and worked and reworked for asome time couplled with better quicker more accessabvle internet in the states this has sped along the acutal development of linux...

You do know where Linus is from...? And most surveys show the US lagging way behind in high-speed Internet....

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

The idea that a consumer-oriented, "easy to use" operating system should not be connected to the web until it's been supplemented by additional software is a bit of a nonsense, really.

It's like selling new cars that aren't road-worthy.

which ford have never done oh no...

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

You do know where Linus is from...? And most surveys show the US lagging way behind in high-speed Internet....

can you read ....

finland btw looney tunes...

 

[editor]

Yes, but it takes effort from the user to overcome the barriers in place. With Linux, it is impossible for the barriers to exist in the first place, as the code is not beholden to shareholders or other commercial interests.

But if Linux grows to represent a huge threat to the commercial interests of the big corporate copyright holders, why do you think it will be any different in the end?

 

[jæd]

But if Linux grows to represent a huge threat to the commercial interests of the big corporate copyright holders, why do you think it will be any different in the end?

Because everyone who downloads a Linux distribution can also download the source-code. Which means there can be as many different distributions of Linux and no company (or even large group of) can force all of them to do anything.

 

[Crispy]

But if Linux grows to represent a huge threat to the commercial interests of the big corporate copyright holders, why do you think it will be any different in the end?

Because there are no mechanisms in place for the changes to be forced through. Apart from the rule of law (and that would have to be in every country), how can the man force open source code to do something he wants?

 

[Jonti]

The "big corporate copyright holders" are economically comparatively insignificant. Movies don't matter that much. Not in the real world. Hollywood has a big mouth and an exaggerated notion of its own importance, is all.

Oh, and the laws are made by the people, for the people. Or we have a *huge* ruck.

 

[editor]

Oh, and the laws are made by the people, for the people. Or we have a *huge* ruck.

I wish I shared your optimism.

 

[Jonti]

Something to understand is that manufacturers *will* continue to make cheap DVD players, HD-DVD players and whatever. There are legitimate uses for such devices which means that making it illegal to manufacture, build, sell or own them would be, ahem, problematic.

And as long as there are such players, they will be cheaper and easier to use than the DRM encumbered offerings. Folks will likely buy these cheaper, more reliable players; buy their DRM'd movies and CDs for legal cover -- but actually play the unencumbered versions that will be freely available.

I think an English jury would not convict under those circumstances. Too many of the jurors would likely have done the exact same thing

 

[Jonti]

Well, I don't feel particularly optimistic when I notice that the public will tolerate mass starvation, but not the Hollywood goons and their DRM fantasies. I feel more ... dirty.

But, fwiw, that's they way the cookie has crumbled in the past, when we've been through analogous technical transitions.